court29x
Junior Guinea Pig
My auntie's guinea pig bubble is losing her fur on both of her sides and she's confused on why? Any thoughts?
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Cavy Kung-Fu
Adult Guinea Pig
It could be mites, I would definitely get it checked at the vets as if it's mites or fungal it won't sort itself.
My cat used to lose fur but that was a dietary problem as it turned out, had to switch to a grainless food so it might be worth looking into grainless pellets as well
Hope little piggy is better soon!
D
DM030819
@courtfranksx I don't really have any experience with female pigs but I think it could be related to ovarian cysts.
It would be worth taking her to the vet for a diagnosis.
It would be worth taking her to the vet for a diagnosis.
@courtfranksx if it is an hormonal imbalance which can end up with ovarian cysts I would change the diet... grains and sugars cause imbalance with insuline and ovaries are really sensitive to insuline. Also in women... (but all the researches which demonstated this matter on us humans were conducted on female guinea pigs...as their hormonal response is definitely similar to ours). If you are in time, before destroying ovaries, you can get some good result with the diet. Also a female cat of my friend was loosing hair and since she has changed her diet (although the vet was sceptical) she has recovered.
Sugars are into most pellets, fruits, carrots and other sweet vegs. I would give it a try, there is nothing to lose...
Sugars are into most pellets, fruits, carrots and other sweet vegs. I would give it a try, there is nothing to lose...
Tiamolly123
Senior Guinea Pig
Testing with piggies, awful. They reckon piggies are the most tested on animals. Britain is a very backward country. Loads of countries, ban it but not good old Britain.
court29x
Junior Guinea Pig
I'm not sure what you meant by this but she doesn't test on her she's a loved little piggy.
court29x
Junior Guinea Pig
Thanks everyone for your help I will inform my auntie!
Tiamolly123
Senior Guinea Pig
Hi there no I think you took what I said the wrong way. I would never insinuate that you or any other member would have them tested on. I saw what you had put about research being done on piggys. Like I say I really sorry that I had taken it out of contest, no harm was meant.
yes, I agree... testing on animals is awful especially the way the researches are conducted... In certain studies I would do differently: when there is a great suspicion that insuline and diet are involved in developing ovarian cysts, I would study the effect of a diet directly to a group of volounters women. Here the matter is not testing a drug but testing a style of life... it is not harmful if it does not work at all. Anyway the result of the research was clear: female piggies with cysts had a positive response to the diet as much as it happened then with women. The silly fact is that now official medicine prescribes a low glycemic diet (and various supplements for keeping low the insuline response) to women affected by ovarian cysts and on the other side vets still don't know anything about such researches... and more than 90% of sows develop ovarian cysts in their life...
I think you were talking in general, about the research on animals and on piggies...
I agree with you. Maybe in certain cases animals are necessary (I am not sure, though), but when I worked for my thesis I had to study awful researches on which animal sacrifice could have been avoided. I remember a stupid research with guinea pigs for demostrating (?) how badly the body weight influences a damage at knees cartilage. I still have a nightmare if I think at that stupid research, where the result was OBVIOUS. The poor piggies were overfed and when they were 18months old they were killed for having a look at their knees whose cartilages of course were damaged! Is it necessary a similar (expensive) research for demonstrating such a "great" discovery? And that was the clear signal the work in research field does not suit me at all.
helen105281
Senior Guinea Pig
I agree with Jaycey, it does sound like possible ovarian cysts, has her behaviour changed at all? is she more dominant?
Please make sure that your auntie's guinea pig is seen by a vet. Hair loss on the sides is typical for ovarian cysts in sows, but that is for the vet to decide and if necessary treat. There is now hormone therapy (chorulon) available for hormone based ovarian cysts other than a full spaying operation.